


Stupidity's a Near Constant

by squib



Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 10:47:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17323574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squib/pseuds/squib
Summary: Just Flug being pushed to his limits and Black Hat actually lightening the load.





	Stupidity's a Near Constant

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Mild profanity, self-harm

It was only a matter of time before the paper bagged man was ever to be pushed to his limits and beyond his breaking point.

Ever since he took the job offer his current boss gave him, he knew this won't be like any other profession as an already well endowed engineer such as he. All of his thoughts ran rampant around his head as he stood in a vaguely empty lab waiting to be filled to the brim wall to wall by hastily scribbled blue prints, post it notes, and of course, thought provoking inventions. Even though he knew he'd regret it then, he still wanted the job. Why? It was all because of his silly idolization of the dapper being he now calls his boss, but frankly, who'd blame him? The entire villain community looks up to the guy as if he was God, or in their case, the Anti-Christ. He knew his feelings and views would go unnoticed due to the fact they're already common within the collective.

He guessed he didn't make quite a good first impression on the boss with his very first 'invention'. To be fair, it was more of an experiment than anything. A particularly overzealous one, if he was being honest with himself.

Dr. Flug Slys was an ambitious fellow, and a proud one, at that. He always reached for goals that could only be considered dreams by many. His standards were high, some proving to be too over the top that his other colleagues couldn't even set the base of them yet. Although he knew it was prideful even for himself, he still manages to achieve those said goals through sheer willpower and of course, his high intelligence and mastery over his thought out projects. Since this was already his mindset, he didn't think it would be any different if he tried one of his many stunts in Black Hat's laboratory.

Biomechanics is quite a hard subject for most, what with it being a field of study focusing on the use of engineering to analyze biological systems. Yet basically, breaking it down, it's just the physics definition of mechanics being applied to the human body, or any sort of anatomy really, though humans are always the main attraction. It only gets even more complex once the concepts of acceleration, velocity, and etcetera are looked into. As a doctor of natural sciences and a valid biologist, this comes in handy whenever Flug decides to create life, give them anatomy designed by himself, then make them a soldier of his, of some sort.

He tried it twice. The first being a rat who could stand on their own two feet. Through biomechanics, he measured how it could throw things, endure tension, and all that boring stuff. In the end, he found he pushed his new minion to death. Shockingly at first, he felt angry at himself for not being responsible enough, and not at the fact he just killed one of his living creations.

The second time was a bear, and the sprout of their new life started in Black Hat's lab, ironically. Flug remembered seeing a fully grown bear attempt to make sense of things, as if they were intelligent enough to comprehend human reason. As usual, he ran required tests on the bear, and he was genuinely surprised when he found it could endure almost anything. He measured the bear's physical body when subjected to force, not finding anything displaced. He didn't know if he was breaking the laws of physics again, or if the bear's just indestructible.

Physical examination aside, the blue animal could be a guard dog or some kind, but that didn't happen due to a few things. One, he found they wouldn't hurt a fly. Two, whenever they're poked, they let out a squeaky toy-esque sound, which would surely disrupt the suspense and marking themselves vulnerable to attacks. Three, they're fluffy. Lastly, and certainly not the least, the bear's adorable. When Black Hat found out about the bad news, Flug didn't get the reaction he'd hoped for.

"Doctor," the dark creature growled, "You told me you were going to give me something heinous and horrendously evil that could bend at my will and create a genocide on site. Now, you're telling me," he leaned closer to the petrified doctor's covered face, "That this freak of nature can't even harm a single house fly." Fueling the fire even more, the blue carebear, whom Flug called experiment '5.0.5.', dared hug the enigma that is Black Hat. The former was lucky he could come out unscratched, but their creator?

Let's just say he's gained a few more to add to his faintly healing collection.

Miraculously, 5.0.5. was kept as a maid and such to keep the manor clean and functioning ever since they found out they actually liked the therapeutic activity that is house cleaning. Black Hat could only grumble, but was internally grateful at the fact he didn't have to call up any cleaning demons to do the literal dirty work for him again. They were annoying, so he was faintly glad he didn't have to succumb to summoning any of them indefinitely.

In Flug's next attempt at life, he experimented on bioengineering a lizard's DNA, more specifically a Gila monster's, and human DNA. He didn't exactly have a concrete conclusion for the result/s, but he drew up a multitude of theories to compensate. One thing's for sure, as well: Whatever he's going to make, it would definitely be the guard dog of the manor this time; He already tweaked the human DNA in the first place.

He shouldn't have been surprised when the product had been an overly hyper teenager, whose body grew in a container filled with mineral and vitamin healthy clear liquid within a span of a few days since he sped up the process in a risky manner, who's head over heels with his boss.

He couldn't shake the memory of insane giggles and demonic screeching out of his head if he wanted to, alongside the fresh new scars he got that day. It wasn't pleasant for sure, but he found he was getting used to the abuse, which he shouldn't be. He wasn't good with the human mind, so he really didn't know if he's slowly breaking or not. To be honest, he already knew he wouldn't have a normal life when his head got bashed into the pavement as a child and soon earned psychotic tendencies from the incident.

The girl, who he determined was demented even though he wasn't qualified to diagnose her with a mental disability, got the name 'Demencia' from that simple analysis alone. Turns out, he was right when she got appointed as the manor's guard dog and Black Hat's official bodyguard whenever he's too busy to even fight off those who wanted him dead. Flug figured Demencia's self proclamation of being his boss's lover could be scratched from her legal credentials.

Slowly, he observed the manor creating its own routine through adaptation and patterns. He knew 5.0.5 enjoys their usual tasks, albeit mundane and uneventful. Demencia seemed to just be glad living in the manor and being close to the boss, as well as terrorizing Flug, it appeared. Black Hat's often in his office or his room, or roaming the halls. He didn't know if it was creepy or not, but he could already deduce his employer's schedule for the first few days within his third week of working. Anyway, aside from that, he concluded Black Hat was outwardly indifferent to the new additions and routine.

As for the doctor himself? Well, his work had gotten even more hectic after he actually proved himself through his very first marketable product: the Argon. It was a device similar to the argon flash bomb, but obviously, the result is much smaller than the product of a nuke. Orders had been made quickly and within a short amount of time after his first commercial aired. He thought it was probably due to the Argon being a limited time offer, or his reputation. It could be both.

He didn't sleep for that whole week of creating more Argons. However, he had to thank 5.0.5 for bringing him some food and water to keep him physically stable. After all, what good would he be to Black Hat if he was dead?

Demencia was unhelpful, and that's a fact.

The next few months proved to be a disaster with her coming to bug him every so often. At first it wasn't too bad, then it got worse to the point he couldn't sleep in his own room anymore. He didn't want to take this issue to Black Hat since the latter would just be irritated that Flug was wasting his time on something so small and pathetic. He decided he'd tolerate it.

With a visible tick, he did.

For the next few years.

To say he was done with everything was a large understatement.

It was a quarter past 2am. Maybe; His recent check had been 1:48am, and he wasn't entirely sure of the time at the moment. He thought that he shouldn't probably trust his sight as well, since he had been hallucinating for the past hour, possibly.

He'd been trying to tighten a screw into a new ray when he found it couldn't even fit the space he provided. His hands were shaking as one attempted to hold the fastener while the other held a screwdriver. Blinking a few frustrated tears away, he tried to get the damn thing to work.

Soon enough, the screw bounced off the invnetion and tumbled off to God-knows-where. Flug could only stare at his blurring surroundings.

That's it. That simple thing made him snap.

With the loudest roar he could muster, he threw the tool to the other side of the lab, shockingly denting the titanium wall. Another screech, and his unfinished invention was lying destroyed on the floor. Tears were now freely cascading down his burnt cheeks as he tore blueprint after blueprint off of the walls, littering them all over the cold floor. He threw and broke the test tubes of chemicals, effectively making some spill unto the floor. He'd know the scent of toxicity within a mile, but did he care now? Of course not.

He just wanted it all to end.

"I want to fucking die!" He screamed, chest heaving afterwards.

He slowly bent down to hug his knees, sitting in the middle of his destroyed lab and rocking himself back and forth. He didn't even care if his paper bag's tearing because of the tears and the amount of times he punched his head.

Sobbing, he tore his paper bag to shreds and flicked his goggles off, shattering a lens. His quivering fingers threaded through his unbrushed and obviously tangled mess of blonde locks, pulling at them and shouting at the pain he inflicted upon himself.

After becoming bored of that, he also forcibly threw off his lab coat. With a sigh of relief, he started rubbing his arms.

Before he knew it, he scratched them, leaving heavy red marks behind. He decided he loved the feeling of pain he thought he deserved, and so, he kept scratching, until he felt warm liquid drip down his arm and fingertips.

He bawled even more, screeching at the pain in his arms and the ache in his chest. However, he kept going. Scratching, and deepening, and bleeding, and breaking...

The pain was so satisfying. The feeling of doing something wrong made him feel more eager and elated. Soon, he was high off of that alone. He shouldn't be doing this. He's crazy, insane, all the other adjectives they'd throw at him. At the moment, the voices reached a deafening pitch, making him only hear white noise and on occasion, static. The self inflicted injuries only managed to fuel his abnormal thoughts.

Why isn't he dead yet? Why did he feel so hopeless? Why isn't everything gone? Why? Is this a cruel joke? Karma, perhaps? Why...

Did he feel safe?

Humming in a confused manner, he attempted to move his hands, but found he couldn't. Instead, when he let his eyes travel from the all too familiar ash colored skin, he caught his boss's uncovered, half lidded eye boring into his.

He let out a gasp before trying to escape the warm arms, and only felt dread when he really couldn't. He was trapped, and it was making him nervous.

"Jefecito," he whispered, stuttering, "I'm sorry..." Before he could finish his fumbling excuse, he heard Black Hat sigh.

He looked up to see his tired features with a displaced glint in his eye. The ashen entity held him closer, making Flug squirm. He didn't know whether or not he should be ashamed at finding it oddly relaxing. In a situation like this, one could only be cautious around a creature such as Black Hat, but Flug? He wasn't doing any of the screaming or begging. No, he was involuntarily relaxing within the arms of possibly the Devil himself.

Black Hat kept staring. "Flug," he started, "I won't ask what made you want to beg for death so badly, because right now, as a human and my devoted employee, you need sleep the most."

Flug teared up again before fatigue hit him, causing him to lean further into his boss and falling into deep slumber. Black Hat grumbled as he watched his scientist enter the land of dreams.

"I meant by yourself, idiot, but fine. I'll let this slide just this once."

He picked up the unhealthily thin man in his arms, standing up and walking through the lab doors. As he stepped out of the doorway, he looked back at the destroyed lab. With a shake of his head and a snap of his fingers, it was back to how it was before, clean and sanitary.

He heard Flug whimper while he carried him down the path to his own room. He groaned at his own thoughts of finding it irritably, what do humans call it? Cute? Whatever, that sickening word.

As he laid his scientist's head down unto one of his many pillows against the headboard, he sighed at the sight before him. Clearly, Flug wasn't taking much care of himself for the past few days. Black Hat wouldn't even deny the fact he knew it was due to the ridiculous deadlines he's been giving him. However, he'd argue that he was only pushed into giving those deadlines because of the staggering decline of the stock market. He had to give high-grade outputs within a month to avoid the company's eventual bankruptcy.

He cursed at himself, lowering down unto the bed next to a sleep deprived Flug. Crossing his arms over his chest, he let his eyes close for a moment, deniably relishing in the calm atmosphere. It was a rare occurence to have Flug in a state of bliss within the confines of sleep, so he guessed this was a nice change of pace. Perhaps he could right his sleeping schedule starting now?

Black Hat stayed in his position before he stood up once more and made his way into the laboratory; There's still much to be done.

In the next morning, Flug was seen rushing through the halls in a disheveled state; He recently had woken up from his sleep on Black Hat's own bed. When he did, he immediately sat up, making him regret his action as the world started to spin around him and a migraine wiggled itself into his brain. His head pounded in the most painful way possible. Hissing, he held up a hand to massage his head, realizing his bag was nowhere to be found. He didn't have anyone to blame for it except himself, remembering what he did the night before. His headache worsened.

"Good morning, doctor," he heard his boss greet, causing him to snap his head towards his direction. He was met by a gleaming grin.

"I hope you had a nice 12 hour sleep." 12 hours?

With a quick curse, he jumped from the soft mattress and rushed down the corridor. He swore he heard Black Hat's cackle behind him. Paying no mind, he found himself in the position he's in right now: Clothes wrinkled, lab coat hanging off of his shoulders, and no mask on. He should've been more careful and frightened at the fact his face was currently being displayed, but at the hands of his potential death? Yeah, for the first time, he didn't particularly care.

When he made it to his lab, however, he found it spotless and clear from the destruction his hurricane of emotions caused. Everything was back in its original place. It was quite suspicious, though he didn't dare question it. Instead, he thanked whoever decided to show him mercy.

He shivered a bit at the frigid air blowing against his face, reminding him that he's still exposed. Hurrying over to a cabinet, he threw over a paper bag to cover his head and snapped new goggles into their place over his eyes. He inhaled the familiar scent of paper, instantly relaxing afterwards. His laboratory was bright, so the tinted lens did what they could to help his burning eyes.

After a couple of serene minutes, a sudden dread made their way down his spine, making him quiver. Oh God, he's been sleeping for far too long! It's past noon now, and he still has yet to finish the device he promised his boss.

He turned to his worktable and grabbed a screwdriver again, preparing mental notes regarding the whole process once more. When he looked down at his desk, however, his eyes nearly popped out from his skull.

His invention was near complete, and that pesky screw was sealed in tight.

He grabbed it hastily and turned it around, inspecting it. He didn't remember finishing it at all, and he swore he had an episode from that specific stubborn bolt. Sweating, he laid it down on the table again, only then questioning the confusing series of events.

Who did all of this, for him?

Demencia? Definitely not; He didn't give her the mental capacity to understand advanced sciences, just the necessary basics. She didn't even continue her study of advanced mathematics given to her by Flug himself, so it was no wonder she couldn't follow simple instructions. Well, directions from him, but from Black Hat? Of course the hybrid would follow every step.

5.0.5, maybe? They could have been the one to clean up the lab, but how would they know the specific positions of his equipment and tools? They're smart for a bear, but surely not that smart, right? That didn't explain the invention he's currently twiddling with now, though.

He couldn't even fathom the possibility of the final option being, dare he say it, helpful to him. All he knew to do was take, and take, and take, eventually running Flug dry. Hell, he's indirectly killing off his only competent employee.

He didn't notice he was tightening his hold on his invention, causing him to shake his head and ridding himself of those thoughts. Nevermind, he had something more significant at hand right now.

Before he could pick up his usual tools to design the device, his blue carebear of a creation stumbled through the lab doors carrying a tray filled to the brim with food. Flug smiled at the sight, but the amount of food made his stomach knot and his mouth to salivate. Although he couldn't deny his hunger, he still needed to finish his project.

"Thanks, Fives," he started, "But I'm not sure if I'm allowed to take any more breaks at this point."

5.0.5 pouted. After a few seconds of silent pleading, their eyes brightened, remembering another task they were supposed to do. They reached through their maid skirt, finding the note handed to them just moments before. They placed it in Flug's hands, smiling, before heading off and leaving the tray of food with their creator.

The scientist stared at the note in his palm, confused. Seriously, why did he have to be succumbed to these befuddling turn of events? He didn't ask for it. Maybe it was karma, or he's just being suspiciously lucky for the past few hours. He soon decided it'd satisfy his curiosity by manning up and actually reading it, and that he did. The message just gave him a slew of many emotions.

"Don't even think about ignoring your basic necessities, Flug. Eat first, drink water, then you can resume your projects.

— your owner, Black Hat.

P.S.: How about a duplicator, so you won't have to make the same thing over and over again? Discuss your plans about this to me once you drew it up. However, don't make me wait."

Yeah, what the fuck?

He shouldn't be accepting the fact his face is heating up right now. Though, he could wholeheartedly acknowledge the gratitude pooling in his figure. His boss has been spoiling him for awhile now, what could that mean? For being the smartest human which he is, he has his stupid moments from time to time, as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is once again very much appreciated! <3 Thanks for reading.


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